Urban Area · Area profile
Sunshine Coast
2,100 km²
A massive population surge of 261% since 2011 has transformed the Sunshine Coast into a much larger community of over 382,000 people. It is a noticeably older area, with a typical resident aged 44 and a high proportion of seniors. This shift toward an older, more affluent demographic is reflected in higher typical incomes and a growing number of well-qualified professionals. The region combines a relaxed lifestyle with a strong draw for people moving from other areas.
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The area is significantly older than most, with the typical resident aged 44 and seniors making up 22.2% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 17.2%. Children under 15 have fallen to 17.2% since 2011.
Overseas born residents now make up 21.1% of the population, a rise of nearly 10 percentage points since 2011. While this is much higher than most similar areas, it remains a little below the Queensland average.
English is the dominant language for 88.7% of the community. Only 6.2% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of residents report no religion, accounting for 47.0% of the population. This figure has risen by 31 percentage points since 2011 and is well above the national average.
The community is well-qualified, with 21.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 56.5% having completed Year 12. Both figures have risen since 2011.
Typical weekly household incomes are higher than most areas at $1,590. The number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has also risen significantly to 18.3%.
Long-term health conditions are slightly more common than the national figure, affecting 29.9% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 10.4%.
The area has a high number of former Defence Force members at 3.9%, which is much higher than most similar areas. Volunteers make up 15.5% of the community, down from 20.5% in 2011.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.5 people per household. One-parent families make up 13.7% of the area, which is much lower than most other areas.
Renting is less common here than in the rest of the state, at 26.8%. However, costs are high; typical weekly rents are $445 and typical monthly mortgage payments are $1,928.
Most people rely on cars, with only 0.9% commuting by public transport. Working from home has become much more common, rising to 15.0% since 2011.
The region is a major draw for new residents, with 48.0% of people having moved here in the last five years. This is well above the national average of 40.7%.
Full-time employment is well below the national average at 51.9%. The most common industries for workers are health care and social assistance, followed by construction.
The area is somewhat walkable, and 87.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, nearly half of all homes are more than 15 minutes away from a school.